a myth of progress: the wnbl's culture of conservatism

I exhausted the senior players with questions. I made them repeat experiences. It did not make sense to me that the WNBL was so invisible. I needed to understand.

It was almost exactly two years ago: November in 2021.

The Herald Sun published an article about the upcoming professional sport returning to Melbourne, stating that ‘the Big Bash League, AFLW and National Basketball League start their seasons over summer.’

I was filled with intense despair as I read it, and then anger. I decided to write them an open letter.

‘I am loathe to single out [the journalists] when it is a societal issue,’ I said, ‘but this is for the sake of accountability. Without it, there is no improvement. As one of Melbourne’s most prominent newspapers, you have an obligation to provide due coverage. It is embarrassing that this has not occurred. The Women’s National Basketball League season starts this weekend.’ 

The article included a photograph of Monique Conti in a Richmond Tigers guernsey standing between NBL forward Jack White and cricketer Matthew Stonis. I sniped, ‘If there is no equity in something as physically obvious as the photograph’s composition, your claims of progressing gender equality seem empty and, ultimately, hypocritical. The WNBL has been around for over forty years. It is Australia’s oldest professional women’s sporting league. It is arguably in the top three leagues in the world, has created talent who have represented this country globally, and has attracted some of the best international athletes to play here in Australia. WNBL athletes make impact, which is a testament to them due to the chronic lack of visibility and opportunity they receive. They deserve to have the start of their season promoted too.’

I concluded it would be easy to rectify the oversight:

‘I am sure there are any number of athletes who would make themselves available to be interviewed in next week’s article.’ I suggested three. ‘Ezi Magbegor, who is a Spalding ambassador playing in both the WNBA and WNBL; Jenna O’Hea, our Australian captain who has just returned from the Olympics and has a senior national team career spanning twelve years; and Tessa Lavey who will be participating in two professional codes this year, being the WNBL and the AFLW.’

I added I could easily provide fifty names worthy of interview if required. Monique Conti was not playing WNBL at the time but her presence, I lamented, should have at least prompted a reminder of the women’s code she had started her professional sporting career in. She could have even been interviewed! I would have been satiated with a WNBL mention.

I typed out the response in methodical rage — a little thrilled at such a clear example of inequality, at the opportunity to finally say something. I checked with a friend before I sent the email. It was lucky I did. She said it was not the newspaper’s fault. 

‘They reached out to the WNBL’s Media Department for comment,’ she explained. ‘I looked into it. The email address they’d been provided with was for somebody who hasn’t worked at Basketball Australia for four months.’ I exited the document. I could have cried.